Passages
Direction for Reading Comprehension: Scientists recently discovered that Emperor Penguins—one of Antarctica’s most celebrated species—employ a particularly unusual technique for surviving the daily chill. As detailed in an article published today in the journal Biology Letters, birds minimize heat loss by keeping the outer surface of their plumage below the temperature of the surrounding air. At the same time, the penguins’ thick plumage insulates their body and keeps it toasty. . . .
The researchers analyzed thermographic images . . . taken over roughly a month during June 2008. During that period, the average air temperature was 0.32 degrees Fahrenheit. At the same time, the majority of the plumage covering the penguins’ bodies was even colder: the surface of their warmest body part, their feet, was an average 1.76 degrees Fahrenheit, but the plumage on their heads, chests, and backs were -1.84, -7.24 and -9.76 degrees Fahrenheit respectively. Overall, nearly the entire outer surface of the penguins’ bodies was below freezing at all times, except for their eyes and beaks. The scientists also used a computer simulation to determine how much heat was lost or gained from each part of the body—and discovered that by keeping their outer surface below air temperature, the birds might paradoxically be able to draw very slight amounts of heat from the air around them. The key to their trick is the difference between two different types of heat transfer: radiation and convection.
The penguins do lose internal body heat to the surrounding air through thermal radiation, just as our bodies do on a cold day. Because their bodies (but not surface plumage) are warmer than the surrounding air, heat gradually radiates outward over time, moving from a warmer material to a colder one. To maintain body temperature while losing heat, penguins, like all warm-blooded animals, rely on the metabolism of food. The Penguins, though, have an additional strategy. Since their outer plumage is even colder than the air, the simulation showed that they might gain back a little of this heat through thermal convection—the transfer of heat via the movement of a fluid (in this case, the air). As the cold Antarctic air cycles around their bodies, slightly warmer air comes into contact with the plumage and donates minute amounts of heat back to the penguins, then cycles away at a slightly colder temperature.
Most of this heat, the researchers note, probably doesn’t make it all the way through the plumage and back to the penguins’ bodies, but it could make a slight difference. At the very least, the method by which a penguin’s plumage wicks heat from the bitterly cold air that surrounds it helps to cancel out some of the heat that’s radiating from its interior. And given the Emperors’ unusually demanding breeding cycle, every bit of warmth counts. . . . Since [penguins trek as far as 75 miles to the coast to breed and male penguins] don’t eat anything during [the incubation period of 64 days], conserving calories by giving up as little heat as possible is absolutely crucial.
Question for CAT 2019 Reading Comprehension Questions- 4
Try yourself:In the last sentence of paragraph 3, “slightly warmer air” and “at a slightly colder temperature” refer to ______ AND ______ respectively:
Explanation
Option A: Consider the sentence: "As the cold Antarctic air cycles around their bodies, slightly warmer air comes into contact with the plumage and donates minute amounts of heat back to the penguins, then cycles away at a slightly colder temperature." It has been mentioned in the passage that the plumage temperature is lower than the surrounding air temperature. Hence, "slightly warmer air" refers to the Antarctica air that surrounds the plumage and "at a slightly colder temperature" refers to the fall in temperature due to heat loss.
Option B: The process of convections and not radiation is involved in this case. Hence the first part of the option is incorrect. B is not the answer.
Option C: The passage does not mention air trapped in plumage. Hence this option is rejected.
Option D: "slightly warmer air" refers to the Antarctica air and not the air inside the penguins' bodies. Hence D is incorrect.
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Question for CAT 2019 Reading Comprehension Questions- 4
Try yourself:Which of the following can be responsible for Emperor Penguins losing body heat?
Explanation
Option A: It has been mentioned that food metabolism is used to maintain body temperature. But it cannot be inferred that heat is lost due to food metabolism.
Option B: The colder temperature of plumage results in slight heat gain from the surrounding air. Hence this option is incorrect.
Option C: In the last paragraph of the passage, it has been mentioned that heat is very important for the breeding of Emperor Penguins. So it can be inferred that this conserved heat might be used in the reproductive process of Emperor Penguins. Hence C is the answer.
Option D: Consider the line: "Since their outer plumage is..........................thermal convection—the transfer of heat via the movement of a fluid (in this case, the air)." It is clear that the process of thermal convection is responsible for heat gain and not heat loss. Hence D is incorrect.
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Question for CAT 2019 Reading Comprehension Questions- 4
Try yourself:Which of the following best explains the purpose of the word “paradoxically” as used by the author?
Explanation
The word "paradoxically" has been used by the author to indicate the two contradictory characteristics mentioned in the statement.
Option A: This option states the exact opposite conclusion mentioned in the passage. As per the passage, penguins keep their plumage colder to keep their body warmer. Hence A is incorrect.
Option B: It has been mentioned that the penguins lose heat through radiation and gain heat through convection. Hence B is incorrect.
Option C: Although this statement is true, it does not contain self-contradictory parts. It has been mentioned that the heat loss and heat gain happen through the given processes but one has no relation to the other. Hence C is not the answer.
Option D: This statement combines two contradictory qualities. The penguins are keeping their plumage colder, which is responsible for the heat gain from the surrounding air and making their body warmer. Hence D is the answer.
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Question for CAT 2019 Reading Comprehension Questions- 4
Try yourself:All of the following, if true, would negate the findings of the study reported in the passage EXCEPT:
Explanation
The primary findings of the study conclude that Emperor Penguins reduce the heat loss by keeping the temperature of the outer surface of their plumage lower than the surrounding air. In fact, they gain a little heat from the surrounding air through thermal convection.
Option A: If the plumage did not allow thermal convection, it would contradict the findings of the study. Hence A is not the answer.
Option B: Since the transfer of heat takes place through the plumage, variation in the average temperature of feet will not affect the conclusions of the study. Hence B is the answer.
Option C: The average temperature of plumage should be lower than that of the air. It has been mentioned in the passage that the temperatures of the plumage on their heads, chests, and backs were -1.84, -7.24, and -9.76 degrees Fahrenheit respectively. If the temperature of the air is -10 degrees Fahrenheit, Penguins would not be able to gain the heat. Hence, this will negate the study findings.
Option D: All the temperatures mentioned in this option are higher than the temperature of the air, but the study assumes the surrounding air temperature to be higher. This option will also negate the study findings.
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